Your Baby Can Read - Thoughts?

hillbillysunshine · February 2010

I always see the commercials and it makes me wonder 'is this whole-word way of teaching a good method?'. I worry that if I used it, my LO wouldn't learn how to sound things out. I don't know. I'm not a teacher, so not sure how it is *best* approached in early childhood education. Do any of you have any thoughts?

summer2819 · February 2010

Waste of money! We used flash cards for our DS and got the same results we were seeing on the commercials. I dont think sitting a baby in front of a tv is really going to teach them to say anything.

Sarah_Fay · February 2010

I am a first grade teacher. ?Basically, I have the job every year teaching kids to read (I work inner city). ?While this program my have merits, I do not plan on ever using it. ?It may teach a child to read, but it does not teach him/her comprehension of what he/she read. ?I think it is important to teach reading strategies such as sounding words out, using picture clues, and the such. ?I think reading should be age-appropriate and not just so you can say... "My kid can read...." ?JMO. ?I think some may love it, but I just don't think it is for me and my LO.

cocadoll · February 2010

I was a teacher for 5 years before a SAHM and I taught K and 1st.

mr&mrswelch · February 2010

No.

kategw · February 2010

Sarah_Fay:
I am a first grade teacher. Basically, I have the job every year teaching kids to read (I work inner city). While this program my have merits, I do not plan on ever using it. It may teach a child to read, but it does not teach him/her comprehension of what he/she read. I think it is important to teach reading strategies such as sounding words out, using picture clues, and the such. I think reading should be age-appropriate and not just so you can say... "My kid can read...." JMO. I think some may love it, but I just don't think it is for me and my LO.

I'm not a teacher, but I agree with this 100%. What is the point of reading without comprehension? Also, is there honestly any long term benefit of having a toddler that can read?

krogers0905 · February 2010

I'm a phonics believer. It's how I learned how to read in school back in the 80's. My daughter is in 2nd grade and does learn it a bit differently. It appears to be a combination of word recognition and phonics. They learn math differently now too though. In my day if was pretty much memorize your addition and subtraction facts. Now they use many different styles and leave it up to the student to pick what works best for them. On my daughters last report card she received praise comments on how well she's doing in math but when I ask her what 7 plus 3 is she can't tell me. Doesn't make sence to me

mrs.kapow · February 2010

kategw:
Also, is there honestly any long term benefit of having a toddler that can read?

I started reading at three. I was actually placed a year ahead for reading (which I doubt most schools would do now with a kindergartener these days). I was an English major, journalism grad school, etc.

I don't know how you can think there wouldn't be an advantage to reading early. I think the debate on whether these tools are right is a valid one, but reading is great.

My H wants this program because he hated reading so much and he doesn't want that for our kids all through school. He thinks this will help him be able to teach our child. I don't think it can hurt. When a kid learns what his or her name is, they are just memorizing what it looks like. Sounding out, comprehension, etc. come with that, IMO.

kategw · February 2010

mrs.kapow:

kategw:
Also, is there honestly any long term benefit of having a toddler that can read?

I started reading at three. I was actually placed a year ahead for reading (which I doubt most schools would do now with a kindergartener these days). I was an English major, journalism grad school, etc.

I don't know how you can think there wouldn't be an advantage to reading early. I think the debate on whether these tools are right is a valid one, but reading is great.

My H wants this program because he hated reading so much and he doesn't want that for our kids all through school. He thinks this will help him be able to teach our child. I don't think it can hurt. When a kid learns what his or her name is, they are just memorizing what it looks like. Sounding out, comprehension, etc. come with that, IMO.

Perhaps I worded that improperly. I am not challenging the idea of exposing children to reading at a young age, my Amazon registry for children's books is bigger than my BRU registry. What I am questioning is, as you mentioned, whether these tools are appropriate to do so. Reading at a young age, with comprehension is one thing, I just don't think this particular program is effective with that since the child is just memorizing a word without context. I too read at a young age but its because my parents took me to the library, read to me, pointed out words, etc. I agree that reading is invaluable, I just think this program misses the mark.

Wendy525 · February 2010

Creepy! I don't even like to watch the commercial! Babies have been learning to read since the beginning of civilization by hearing language and imitating and practicing. Don't need a $500 product to push kids to read a little bit earlier. We've been reading books to DD since she was a tiny baby and she still loves to have us read to her, and she's even starting to read on her own - naturally. My good friend made an interesting comment too - If you're forcing the development of one part of the babies' brain so early, it must be forcing something else out.

cassianddavid · February 2010

I dont't have any experience in this area but IMO, it just seems like all they learn is memorization.

micaelasmakeup · February 2010

I don't think it can hurt either. I remember when my little sister was a toddler driving by fast food places reading the signs. She couldn't sound it out yet but she could "read" the sign. Then I remember later when she was in early elementary we passed a sign that said PSYCHIC and she was trying to read it and said what is a five six six? So your brain is going to work either way and if you learn McDonald from visual cues and then later you are going to be able to use the recognition to know in the past the letters Mc together make the sound mik. So i think any learning young is good learning. They are just such little sponges but I also agree with pp that flashcards would work just as well if not better then looking at the TV!

ktrumpatori · February 2010

I'm a speech pathologist and can tell you that children do not have the ability to "read" at this age. It's basically learning by sight--it's memorization AT BEST, NOT comprehension of written language. It's a scam ladies.

giaM28 · February 2010

ktrumpatori:
I'm a speech pathologist and can tell you that children do not have the ability to "read" at this age. It's basically learning by sight--it's memorization AT BEST, NOT comprehension of written language. It's a scam ladies.

this. if you change the way the word looks they kid cant read it. my friend got it for her son and when she wrote down words he 'knew' on index cards he didnt get it. They are circus tricks.

my aunts a speech pathologist also, and in college i spent 2 years getting my degree to work with Special Ed K-3rd grade (hated it and left college for a real job that paid more than teaching)

TinyTeacher · February 2010

Your Baby Can Read has them memorizing the shapes of the words.

Memorizing Shapes does not equal reading.

kirkette · February 2010

ktrumpatori:
I'm a speech pathologist and can tell you that children do not have the ability to "read" at this age. It's basically learning by sight--it's memorization AT BEST, NOT comprehension of written language. It's a scam ladies.

I agree. Your baby can't read if it is only memorizing.

TinyTeacher · February 2010

giaM28:
ktrumpatori:
I'm a speech pathologist and can tell you that children do not have the ability to "read" at this age. It's basically learning by sight--it's memorization AT BEST, NOT comprehension of written language. It's a scam ladies.

this. if you change the way the word looks they kid cant read it. my friend got it for her son and when she wrote down words he 'knew' on index cards he didnt get it. They are circus tricks.

my aunts a speech pathologist also, and in college i spent 2 years getting my degree to work with Special Ed K-3rd grade (hated it and left college for a real job that paid more than teaching)

oh really? Teaching isn't a real job? You are going to piss a lot of people off with that comment.

kirkette · February 2010

giaM28:
ktrumpatori:
I'm a speech pathologist and can tell you that children do not have the ability to "read" at this age. It's basically learning by sight--it's memorization AT BEST, NOT comprehension of written language. It's a scam ladies.

this. if you change the way the word looks they kid cant read it. my friend got it for her son and when she wrote down words he 'knew' on index cards he didnt get it. They are circus tricks.

my aunts a speech pathologist also, and in college i spent 2 years getting my degree to work with Special Ed K-3rd grade (hated it and left college for a real job that paid more than teaching)

LOL

Oh snap Gia, I know you meant no harm. However. I think you might need to bust out a flame proof suit just in case. Wink

pixy_stix · February 2010

Besides what the other ladies said, there's been numerous studies that sitting your child in front of even "educational" videos slows/reduces their learning ability. Especially when it comes to language development.

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